The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-10-28
A CIRCULAR
Issued by the Minnesota Business
Mems Association.

The following circular has been issued
by the Business Mems Association:
DEAR SIR:-In the published proceed
ings of the executive committee of the
Business Mems Association of Minneso
to, held in Mankato on the Sth inst, u
copy of which is herewith sent you, you
will notice the actions now pending be-
fore the Interstate commerce commits
sion against the Chicago & Northwestern
and the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis
and Omaha Railroad companies, and i'm
volving the tariffs of the Chicago, Mil
waukee x st. Paul Railroad.
These companies have been and now
are charging much higher rate per ton
per mile on a longer continuous haul of
freight into the towns i'm Western and
Southwestern Minnesota, than they
have been and are charging on the
shorter haul. Ii would seem at once
that the towns Disseminated against are
subject to unjust prejudice and disad-
vantage" and that they are entitled to
relief, under the interstate commerce
act. Ii is this that the Business Mems
Association Is endeayoring to secure in
these suits. Your town is one of those
peculiarly and unfavorably affected by
tins injustice.
If YOU will, from the published tariffs
on file at your station, obtain the rates
charged on all and any classes of freight
between Lake Superior points and st.
Paul, and between Lake Michigan points
and 81. Paul, Waterville, Waseca, James
vile or Albert Lea and compare these
rates per ton per mile with the rates charg-
ed 10 and rom your station you will
need no arguments to demonstrate the
injustice of the practices from which you
are the sufferers, and the methods
adopted by these railroads to make the
thinly settled, producing West pay the
expense and cost ola competition for
the benefit of the more populous dis
tributing Eastern part of the state. On
the Lake Superior traffic the tariffs
shows constantly increasing rate per ton
per mile for increasing distances from st.
Paul west, especially on coal and 9Th
class. On the Lake Michigan traffic
| every station west of the line Indicated
pays higher rate per ton per mile than
does its eastern neighbors with a short
er haul. This situation is contrary to
every correct principle of traffic; con-
trarv to the rule in every distance tariff
ever made, and contrary to the rule i'm
every other tariff we have yet been able
to examine. 1t is prejudicial to the
growth and prosperity of the interior,
and Il violation of the most solemn obi
cations of common carriers. BY COM
parison it charges you on lumber, fuel and
grain and all other traffic an unreason-
able rate, 1t is, we think, illegal as well
as unjust. We trust you will join us in
this contest TO secure for all sections OF
this state equal and reasonable rates.
Will you not, under the resolution
adopted at the meeting of the executive
committee, a copy of which appears in
the proceeding enclosed herewith, Sc
cure from yOur town a contribution for
the purposes of the Association and
send name for your representative for
membership.
All moneys should at once be forward
ed TO &. p. Bailey, treasurer, mt Waseca,
Mimi, and will he promptly acknowl.
edged by him and faithfully applied for
our common interests.
+. NJ PoPE,
| }. NJ. BURLINGAME, President
! SpprntprV